Projects per year
Abstract
The changing nature of drought is a growing global
concern (Cook and others 2015, Dai 2011, Seneviratne
and others 2010, Sheffield and Wood 2008b, Trenberth
and others 2014, Wilhite and others 2014). Drought
can be a severe natural disaster with substantial social
and economic consequences affecting large areas with
extended durations (Wilhite and Buchanan-Smith 2005).
Although it is clear that shifts in circulation patterns,
energy for evapotranspiration, and air temperatures are
changing in ways that enhance the consequences of
drought, there is only weak consensus about the effects
of climate change on drought occurrence (IPCC 2013,
Seneviratne and others 2012, Trenberth and others
2014). Some of that uncertainty stems from the complex
nature of quantitatively defining drought, but also
because some of the changes in drought characteristics
are only partially reflected in traditional drought metrics
[Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and the
Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI)]. Furthermore,
although these traditional metrics have adequately
reflected the consequences of meteorologically derived
moisture deficits on agricultural commodities and
water supply, there is a poorer (although improving)
understanding of how drought interacts with forests
and rangelands and their associated aquatic habitats.
Understanding the potential impacts of future drought
on forests and rangelands requires knowledge of how
droughts impact forest, shrub, and rangeland structure
(covered in other chapters in this assessment) and how
drought projections are characterized in the General
Circulation Model (GCM) output.
The purpose of this chapter is to explore drought as a hydrometeorological phenomenon and reflect broadly on the characteristics of drought that influence forests, rangelands, and streams. It is a synthesis of understanding about drought processes, hydrology, paleoclimatology, and historical climate variability, and how this understanding can help predict potential future droughts and their consequences to forests and rangelands. It describes alternative approaches for characterizing drought and highlights additional work that could inform projection and adaptation for future droughts.
The purpose of this chapter is to explore drought as a hydrometeorological phenomenon and reflect broadly on the characteristics of drought that influence forests, rangelands, and streams. It is a synthesis of understanding about drought processes, hydrology, paleoclimatology, and historical climate variability, and how this understanding can help predict potential future droughts and their consequences to forests and rangelands. It describes alternative approaches for characterizing drought and highlights additional work that could inform projection and adaptation for future droughts.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Effects of Drought on Forests and Rangelands in the United States: A Comprehensive Science Synthesis |
Subtitle of host publication | Forest Service Gen. Tech. Report WO-93b |
Editors | James Vose, James Clark, Charles Luce, Toral Patel-Weynand |
Publisher | United States Department of Agriculture |
Pages | 13-48 |
Number of pages | 36 |
Publication status | Published - 11 Jan 2016 |
Research Groups and Themes
- Water and Environmental Engineering
Keywords
- Climate change
- drought
- forest disturbances
- natural disasters
- water quantity and quality
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Dive into the research topics of 'Characterizing Drought for Forested Landscapes and Streams'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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MaRIUS: Managing the Risks, Impacts and Uncertainties of droughts and water Scarcity.
Freer, J. E. (Principal Investigator) & Wagener, T. (Principal Investigator)
30/06/14 → 30/03/19
Project: Research, Parent